TODAY'S NEWS - TUESDAY 9/28

AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT CAUSES FLAMES

A ONE VEHICLE CRASH IN UNION TOWNSHIP THIS MORNING CAUSED A FIRE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. KEVIN CANNON, OF RINGTOWN, SWERVED TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH A DEER. THE RESULT OF THE SWERVE CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE TRAVELING OFF THE ROADWAY INTO A GARAGE OWNED BY VIRGINA HEPPE, ALSO OF RINGTOWN. AFTER IMPACT, BOTH THE VEHICLE AND GARAGE CAUGHT ON FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

TRUCK JACKKNIFES CLOSING ROUTE 61

ROUTE SIXTY-ONE IN WEST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP WAS CLOSED EARLY MONDAY MORNING DUE TO A JACKKNIFED TRACTOR TRAILER. THE TRUCK'S DRIVER, PATRICK NELLING, OF MILTON, WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER FOR UNDISCLOSED INJURIES ACCORDING TO SCHUYLKILL HAVEN STATE POLICE. NELLING LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SLIDE AND JACKKNIFE. TRAFFIC WAS REROUTED UNTIL AFTER SEVEN-A.M.

COURT UPHOLDS REMOVAL OF NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTORS

A THREE JUDGE PANEL IN COMMONWEALTH COURT UPHELD THE DECISION TO REMOVE EIGHT NORTH SCHUYLKILL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THE RULING INITIALLY MADE IN JUNE OF TWO-THOUSAND-NINE BY JUDGE D. MICHAEL STINE AFTER FIFTY-FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT RESIDENTS HAD FILED SUIT AGAINST THE BOARD FOR FAILING TO ELECT A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. ACCORDING TO THE REPUBLICAN HERALD, SENIOR JUDGE ROCHELLE FRIEDMAN JUSTIFIED THE REMOVAL OF THE MEMBERS DUE TO NOT PERFORMING THEIR LEGAL DUTIES.





SPIRIT AWARDS

VOLUNTEERS ARE AMERICA'S BACKBONE. LAST NIGHT, THREE INDIVIDUALS AND A BUSINESS WERE HONORED BY MAYOR GARY HESS WITH THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN SPIRIT AWARD FOR GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HELP OTHERS. HESS INITIATED THE AWARDS TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT PEOPLE DO IN THE SCHUYLKILL HAVEN COMMUNITY. PAT JOHNS WAS HONORED FOR HER HALF-CENTURY OF WORK WITH THE GIRL SCOUTS, RETA RHOADES WAS CITED FOR HER LONG-TIME WORK WITH THE GIRL SCOUTS, AND BEING A SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. THIRTEEN YEAR OLD CARTER KOCH WAS PRAISED FOR HIS EFFORTS IN HELPING WITH THE BOROUGH'S ISLAND PARK FESTIVAL, AND IS THE YOUNGEST HONOREE IN THE SPIRIT PROGRAM TO DATE. LEHIGH VALLEY DAIRIES WAS ALSO HONORED FOR THEIR WORK IN REHABILITATING THE WILLOW STREET PLAYGROUND.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPS

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S UNEMPLOYMENT REPORT BRINGS SOME GOOD NEWS. ACCORDING TO THE NUMBERS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS DROPPED FROM 11.1 PERCENT TO 10.8 IN AUGUST. OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS THE COUNTY HAS ALSO HAD A 200-JOB GAIN IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR. STILL ABOUT 8,000 PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK IN THE COUNTY, BUT IT REMAINS ABOVE THE STATE AND NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES. JOBLESS FIGURES FOR SEPTEMBER ARE SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED NOVEMBER SECOND.

ONORATO, CORBETT DEBATE

REPUBLICAN TOM CORBETT AND DEMOCRAT DAN ONORATO HAD THEIR FIRST DEBATE OF THE GENERAL ELECTION MONDAY NIGHT. BOTH CANDIDATES AGREED TO AVOID MAJOR TAX INCREASES AND CUT SPENDING, BUT CLASHED OVER WHETHER THE STATE SHOULD TAX NATURAL GAS DRILLED ON THE MARCELLUS SHALE FORMATION. CORBETT AND ONORATO ALSO DISCUSES TOPICS SUCH AS A $3 BILLION DEBT IN THE STATE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FUND, PRISON CROWDING, AND TORT REFORM.

STATE NEWS

HERSHEY, PA. (AP) - PENNSYLVANIA'S REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR U.S.
SENATE SAYS REPUBLICANS SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY UNDER FORMER PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH. TOOMEY AND KOPPEL SPOKE IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE AT
THE PENNSYLVANIA CHAMBER OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY'S ANNUAL DINNER
IN HERSHEY. TOOMEY ADDED THAT HE ALSO TRIED TO STAND UP AGAINST
SUCH SPENDING WHEN HE WAS IN CONGRESS.

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - THE COMPANY THAT PROCESSES EMPLOYEE
PAYCHECKS FOR HARRISBURG IS TELLING THE CITY THAT IT WANTS TO BE
PAID BEFORE IT PROCESSES ANOTHER BATCH. AN AIDE TO MAYOR LINDA
THOMPSON HAS RELEASED AN E-MAIL MESSAGE FROM AN ADP EMPLOYEE THAT
SAYS THE COMPANY WANTS TO RECEIVE THE FULL BALANCE DUE ON
HARRISBURG'S ACCOUNT.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ARE THE NL EAST
CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN. THE PHILS WON THEIR FOURTH STRAIGHT TITLE
WITH AN 8-0 VICTORY OVER THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS LAST NIGHT. THE
DEFENDING NL CHAMPS BEGIN THE QUEST FOR ANOTHER WORLD SERIES TITLE
WHEN THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN NEXT WEEK.

NATIONAL NEWS

WASHINGTON (AP) - NEW CENSUS FIGURES SHOW A WIDENING GAP BETWEEN
THE RICHEST AND POOREST AMERICANS. IT GREW LAST YEAR TO ITS WIDEST
AMOUNT ON RECORD. THE TOP-EARNING 20 PERCENT OF AMERICANS RECEIVED
49.4 PERCENT OF ALL INCOME GENERATED IN THE U.S. THAT'S COMPARED
WITH THE 3.4 PERCENT EARNED BY THOSE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.

ORANGE BEACH, ALA. (AP) - A NEW SURVEY SUGGESTS THE GULF OIL
SPILL HAS HAD A LASTING EFFECT ON THE PSYCHE OF SOME RESIDENTS IN
THE REGION. A GALLUP SURVEY RELEASED TODAY SHOWS THAT DEPRESSION
CASES ARE UP MORE THAN 25 PERCENT SINCE AN APRIL 20 OIL RIG
EXPLODED, TRIGGERING THE GUSHER THAT RUINED MANY LIVELIHOODS ALONG
THE USUALLY IDYLLIC COAST.

LONDON (AP) - A NEW POLL INDICATES THAT CITIZENS IN GENERAL ARE
DIVIDED ABOUT GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC STIMULUS PROGRAMS WITH RESIDENTS
OF GERMANY, FRANCE AND THE U.S. MORE INCLINED TO OPPOSE MORE
SPENDING. THE BBC WORLD SERVICE POLL OUT TODAY SAYS 66 PERCENT OF
GERMANS, 63 PERCENT OF FRENCH AND 58 PERCENT OF U.S. RESIDENTS
OPPOSED STIMULUS SPENDING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE CAUSE OF A DEADLY OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY CRASH
IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY FOR THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
BOARD. TEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND FIVE OTHERS INJURED WHEN A
TRACTOR-TRAILER DOING 71 MPH BARRELED INTO CARS STOPPED ON
INTERSTATE 44 NORTHEAST OF TULSA. THE ACCIDENT HAS RAISED QUESTIONS
ABOUT POSSIBLE DRIVER FATIGUE, CELL PHONE USE AND WHETHER HEAVY
TRUCKS SHOULD HAVE COLLISION WARNING SYSTEMS.

PORTAGE, WIS. (AP) - A 14-MILE SAND LEVEE IN WISCONSIN WILL BE
INSPECTED TODAY TO DETERMINE IF IT'S SOUND. THE LEVEE WAS PARTIALLY
BREACHED BY FLOODWATERS, TURNING ONE RURAL NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A
VIRTUAL ISLAND. GREG MATTHEWS, SPOKESMAN FOR THE WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, SAYS HE'S "CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC" THE LEVEE WILL HOLD.